Uma análise quantitativa e qualitativa sobre hábitos de edição e seus efeitos na autoimagem feminina

Abstract

This study analyzes how image editing habits on Instagram influence the construction of female self-image. The research adopts a quantitative and qualitative approach and uses an online questionnaire as the main data collection instrument. The responses were examined through Content Analysis, as proposed by Bardin (2016). The study aims to identify the most recurrent image editing habits and to understand their effects on the perception of self-image, considering aspects such as social comparison, self-esteem, appearance control, and beauty standards. The findings indicate that image editing is a practice widely incorporated into daily Instagram use, functioning not only as a technical resource but also as a mechanism for adapting to visual expectations present on the platform. It was observed that constant exposure to idealized images intensifies processes of social comparison, influencing feelings of dissatisfaction, self-criticism, and insecurity regarding one’s own appearance. Strategies of image control, such as careful selection of posts and refusal to share content produced by others, also emerge as attempts to minimize these impacts. The results contributed to a critical reflection on the aesthetic pressures present in social networks and their impacts on users’ daily experiences.